Car-coupling



(No Model.) 7

C. STILGER.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 460,999. Patented Oct. 13,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES STILGER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,999, dated October13, 1891.

Application filed April 6, 1391- Serial No. 387,365. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES STILGER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Louisville, in thecounty of Jefferson and State of Kentucky,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Car-Couplers, ofwhich the following is a sufficient specification.

My invention is confined to the detaining and discharging device and itsmanipulating attachments of an automatic car-coupler, in whichlaterally-swinging hooks are held in position when coupled by means oftumblers engaging the heels of the hooks, and the tumbler of my deviceis adapted to be withdrawn and the coupling discharged by persons somedistance, if necessary, from the coupler.

The accompanying drawings will illustrate my device.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my coupler attached to a car andshowing the controlling devices and attachments by which the tumbler isoperated from without. The tumbler is removed and the opening thereindisplayed where it is to be inserted. Fig. 2 shows a coupler mostly inoutline, but that which is original with me shown full and a portion ofone side broken away for that purpose. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation ofthe parts of my invention original with me and not disclosed in Fig. 1.7

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

A is a laterallyswinging hook rotating freely around a connecting hingeor pin and constructed to be engaged with the tumbler E. 1-3 forms theother side of the coupler, is hollow in structure, and has no inclosingbot tom portion, but is covered over on top.

E is a tumbler adapted to be moved backward and forward in the hollowcentral portion of the draw-bar. It has a depression in its lower sideat right angles to the line of the draw-bar. This depression is deepenough to contain the lever R(upright) while at tached to the sleeve Land broad enough to allow the tumbler a forward and backward movement ofabout two inches.

L is a sleeve rotating upon the rod 0 and so situated that the upperhalf is within the depression of the plunger and the lower half in adepression, if necessary, in the draw-bar.

The sleeve supports the lever B and the lever S, the two being situatednearly at right angles with one another. The sleeve is supported uponthe rod 0, which passes transversely through the draw-bar, and has ahead at one end and opening for a split-key at the other. The lever B,working in the recess of the tumbler E, forces it backward until thehook is disengaged and the coupling destroyed. lVhen the force on thelevers outside is removed, the weight \V presses the lever-arm S downagain. This actuates the lever R, which brings the tumbler E forwardagain. \Vhen another coupling is to be made, the pressure of the secondcoupler forces the hook A back. The hook likewise forces the plungerback until the heel of the hook is rotated suificiently to allow thetumbler to come forward again, when of course the gravityweight and itsattachments cause the forward movement. I have also placed in my drawbara half web or shoulder to prevent the tumbler being driven too farbackward in a severe concussion.

\V is a gravity-weight so shaped as to be included in the side B, whichis constructed hollow for that purpose, and provided with a hook adaptedto interlock with a small eye cast into the end of the side B, so as toextend into the hollow space. The weight is further provided with avertical opening adapted to receive the pin F and yet to have a movementeven independent of the pin around the eye aforesaid. The pin F isadapted to pass through the weight \V and the lever-arm S at itsextremity, and provided atits upper extremity with a swivel or eye.

My device is inserted as follows: The gravity-weight is held with itshook uppermost and is inserted into the side B from beneath. It is thenturned until its hook engages the eye in the end of the side B. Whilestill supporting the weight in position insert the tumbler E and thesleeve L at the same time. A side recess has previously been constructedin the inner wall of the side B, as shown in Fig. 1, and this allows anentrance likewise to the lever S, attached to the sleeve L. As soon asthe sleeve L falls into its recess in the draw-bar the rod 0 is insertedthrough the draw-bar and sleeve and then a split-key is inserted throughthe end not provided with a head. The pin F is then inserted from belowthrough the weight W and the lever-arm S, and a swivel or eye is thenattached to its upper end.. To this swivel is attached the chain 0, andthe moving parts of my device are then ready for operation. The chain 0passes to a handle near the roof of the ear, and the side levers D and Dare connected to it by suitable links.

WVhen my coupler is in connection with another, all that is needed tonncouple is to lift up on the chain or depress the side levers. Thislifts the lever S, which in turn turns the sleeve L and its lever R.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as my own, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

In an automatic car-coupler, the combination of a draw-bar having alaterally-swinging hook and the side opposite the hook 1101- lowed outto receive a portion of the moving 'parts with the tumbler E, recessedto receive the upper portion of the sleeve L and all of the lever R andadapted to engage and detain the laterally-swinging hook, the sleeve L,supported on the rod 0 and supporting in turn the two levers S and R,which are adapted the one to rotate the sleeve L, the other to move thetumbler E, the gravity-weight W, attached by a loosely-fitting pin F tothe lever S and likewise having a hook by means of which it is retainedin the draw-bar, and the chain 0, attached to the pin F by a swivel andalso connected with the side levers D and D, adapted to be attached to acar, all substantially as described.

CHARLES S'lILGER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. MILLER, OTIS BAGGERLY.

